Grand Monadnock Lodge 309
Chapters Grand Monadnock Lodge 309 does not use the chapter system. History Grand Monadnock Lodge is the result of a growth from the first experimental Order of the Arrow program in north central Massachusetts, to a modern organization which is one of the great strengths of the council which it serves. When the lodge was first formed, the country was at the end of World War II, which had followed on the heels of the Great Depression. The scouts wore simple uniforms topped with overseas caps, and lodge flaps were rare. Camping, however, was as central to the Order's program then as it is today. Grand Monadnock Lodge can trace its lineage back to three original Order of the Arrow lodges that began within a year of each other in the north central part of Massachusetts. The first of these lodges, Tsutsuid Lodge 309, was chartered on July 10, 1945, by 12 Scouts and Scouters from the Wachusett Council, based in Leominster, MA. The name of the lodge was taken from the abundant New England chipmunks that inhabited the council area. The lodge conducted many service projects and ceremonials in the council's camp, Camp Wanocksett, in Jaffery, NH. Lodge 309 quickly became active in attending Section Conclaves and National Order of the Arrow Conferences. As Tsutsuid Lodge 309 was born, and began to prosper and grow, a similar program was developing in Leominster's "Twin City" of Fitchburg, MA. On September 7, 1945, Elliot Managam, Scout Executive of the Fitchburg Area Council (and a Chippewa Indian), founded Watatic Lodge 319. Named after a local mountain, the lodge adopted as its totem a black panther at first, and then later, a thunderbird and war shield. Watatic Lodge was known for installing other local lodges and teaching them the Order's ceremonies. This lodge first used Camp Lowe, in Rindge, NH, as it's camp, and then later supported Camp Split Rock in Ashburnham, MA. As the Order began to prosper in the Twin Cities of north central Massachusetts, slightly to the west the Order gained another foothold in the Monadnock Council, Gardner, MA, which on February 16, 1946, chartered Nikiwigi Lodge 329, at the council's Camp Collier. Tsutsuid Lodge 309 conducted the Ordeal for the first members of this new lodge, all of whom were members of the "Nikiwigi Tribe," which was an early honor camper society. Nikiwigi soon became active and held their own Ordeal on June 21, 1946; and throughout that summer at Camp Collier, elections were held and membership swelled. Sometime after 1946, Lodge 329 entered a period of inactivity, which ended in 1959. With apparently no remaining active members, Watatic Lodge helped to re-install Nikiwigi Lodge; and in the following years, the two lodges were closely linked. By 1963, Nikiwigi, once again strong, was holding their own ceremonies at Camp Collier. In 1965, as the Wachusett Council of Leominster and the Fitchburg Area Council were merged into Nashua Valley Council, so were their respective OA lodges. Under the leadership of Managam, the new lodge was to be called Quanopin, after a famous local Indian, and had as its totem Tackqiuwock -- meaning The Twins, in reference to the two strong lodges that gave birth to the new 309. Stronger than before, Quanopin Lodge 309 soon became a leader among its Section (first NE-1A and then NE-1B), as well as gaining national recognition, both for excellent Native American dancing and singing, as well as having one of their arrowmen, David Erb, become National Chief. One of the highlights of the lodge's history was when they acted as the service lodge for the 1993 NE-1B Conclave, which had the unique distinction of being one of the few Order of the Arrow events covered by Scouting magazine. Quanopin Lodge 309 and Nikiwigi Lodge 329 existed together as brothers, with friendly competition, through the 70s and 80s, until the Nashua Valley Council and Monadnock Council were merged in 1994. With the new Nashua Valley Council came a new lodge, Grand Monadnock Lodge 309, named after the mountain that overlooks the council's Camp Wanocksett in Jaffery, NH. Again, the merger process yielded a stronger lodge than before, and Lodge 309 continues to be a leader among Section NE-1B. Throughout the years, GML 309 has had key roles in the section, assisting in conclave shows, training, and publications, and has had numerous youth occupy Section offices. Branden Morris, a 4-term Section Chief for NE-1B served as the 1996 NOAC Vice-Chief for training, and was awarded the Order's National Distinguished Service Award in 1996. Grand Monadnock Lodge was the first recipient of the coveted Lodge Spirit and Activity Award ("The Golden Shovel") at the 1997 Section NE-1B Conclave. In 2000, it was once again time for Section NE-1B to be the guests of Lodge 309 (this time as GML, not Quanopin), and 250 Arrowmen from across New England came to Camp Wanocksett. In January 2001, due to the election of Section Chief Pat Boyd to Northeast Region Chief, Dan Burgoyne, past two-term chief of GML, was elected to the office of Section Chief for NE-1B, presiding over the 2001 Section Conclave. In January 2005, due to the election of Section Chief Dan O'Rourke to Northeast Region Chief, Andy Collins, past vice-chief and webmaster of GML, was elected to the office of Section Chief for NE-1B, presiding over the 2005 Section Conclave, once again being held at Camp Wanocksett. Historical Moments of note: *06/07 Anthony Cuoco elected Section NE-1B Vice-Chief *06/06 Aaron Stockwell re-elected Section NE-1B Vice-Chief *06/05 Aaron Stockwell elected Section NE-1B Vice-Chief *06/05 Andy Collins re-elected Section NE-1B Chief *06/05 Service Lodge for the 2005 NE-1B Conclave *01/05 Andy Collins elected Section NE-1B Chief *01/01 Dan Burgoyne elected Section NE-1B Chief *06/00 Service Lodge for the 2000 NE-1B Conclave *06/99 Jeff Bergstrom elected Section NE-1B Vice-Chief *06/98 Jeff Bergstrom elected Section NE-1B Secretary *06/97 Kris Cullen elected Section NE-1B Vice-Chief *1996 Branden Morris is awarded the DSA *1996 NOAC Branden Morris NOAC Vice-Chief for Training *1995 Philmont Retreat Branden Morris Retreat Vice-Chief for Quality Program Development *06/95 Branden Morris re-elected Section NE-1B Chief *06/94 Branden Morris re-elected Section NE-1B Chief *06/94 Joe Ganley elected Section NE-1B Secretary *1994 Grand Monadnock Lodge 309 is formed with the merger of Quanopin Lodge 309 and Nikiwigi Lodge 329 *06/93 Quanopin - Branden Morris re-elected Section NE-1B Chief *06/93 Nikiwigi - Jim Ganley elected Section NE-1B Secretary *06/93 Quanopin - Service Lodge for the 1993 NE-1B Conclave (Covered by Scouting magazine) *01/93 Quanopin - Branden Morris elected Section NE-1B Chief *06/92 Quanopin - Branden Morris elected Section NE-1B Vice-Chief *06/91 Quanopin - Branden Morris elected Section NE-1B Secretary *06/90 Nikiwigi - Service Lodge for the 1990 NE-1B Conclave *1988 David A. Erb is awarded the DSA *1986 Quanopin - David Erb elected National Chief *1985 Quanopin - David Erb elected Chief of Section NE-1A *1965 Quanopin Lodge 309 is formed with the merger of Tsutsuid Lodge 309 and Watatic Lodge 319 *02/46 Nikiwigi Lodge 329 is chartered *09/45 Watatic Lodge 319 is chartered *07/45 Tsutsuid Lodge 309 is chartered Lodge Chiefs Lodge Advisers Lodge Staff Advisers Associate Lodge Advisers Awards Distinguished Service Award Recipients Founder's Award Recipients Vigil Honor Resources Internal Links Lodges by Name Lodges by Number Northeast Region Lodges Section NE-1B Quanopin Lodge 309 Tsutsuid Lodge 309 Watatic Lodge 319 Nikiwigi Lodge 329 External Links *Grand Monadnock Lodge official site